Imagine, from a distance, the slow swell of full orchestral strings begins to fill the room. Just as the symphony of strings reach a crescendo, they fade away and a lonely flute is heard. Soon, the sweet sparkle of pure acoustic guitar joins the overture. Without warning, the unmistakable thunder of a shredding electrical lead guitar cuts into the mix. So, what's going on? Have the Moody Blues and Pink Floyd joined forces with the Eagles and Eric, for some sort of dream concert? Nope, it's just one man and his Godin LGX-SA guitar driving his Roland rig through some of their basic paces. Sound impossible? Not at all . . .

Today's Godin guitar is not your traditional "Paulmobile." Guitar technology of the new Millennium is here now. Robert Godin may well be today's most innovative guitar building genius. He has devoted a lifetime of expertise blending traditional guitar construction with technological advances beyond Leo's wildest dreams. Case in point the LGX-SA: Featuring superb American craftsmanship combined with some of the world's finest tone woods from Canada. Taking it a step further, the electronics of the LGX are second to none. There are two humbucking pickups (optional Seymour Duncan or Godin Tetrad pickups) coupled with Lloyd Baggs micro sensor acoustic transducers. Finally, the RMC Poly Driver interfaces with Roland's proprietary 13-pin Synth Access systems.

What's all that mean? Are we still speaking English? With one guitar, today's player can access a world of great sounds with standard playing technique, from alto sax to xylophone and everything in between. Three separate outputs allow the independent direction of three different signals to three separate sources. Magnetic humbuckers provide all the electric guitar sounds. Seymour Duncan has personally designed the (optional) bridge pickup especially for the LGX. He started with the world renown "Custom," then flavored to taste with some of his own special magic. The next Duncan is the classic "Jazz II" in the neck position for fat, smoky bass response. Both pickups are covered in high polished chrome, adding pleasure to the eyes as well as the ears.

For the player wanting a wider variety of sounds, check out Godin's own patented Tetrads. This format consists of four mini-railed humbuckers with a pull-pot filter, cutting 8db at 800 hertz, thus creating somewhat of a single coil flavor. A second quarter-inch output allows you to run pure acoustic tones to your favorite acoustic amp or PA. Now you can be your own duet. Separate tone and volume controls are provided for both sounds, acoustic and electric. (For your convenience, acoustic and electric sounds can both be directed from one output to one source.)

Now if that weren't enough, add to your mix the thirteen-pin synth output, giving you access to a full array of musical instrument combinations. With the Lloyd Baggs micro sensors, accurate instrument reproduction and spot-on tracking are a breeze.

The incredible electronics are paralleled by its stunning cosmetics with three per side tuning machines, a mahogany neck capped with a super smooth ebony fingerboard. The twenty-four and a quarter inch scale plays naturally, comfortably. The single cutaway body consists of mahogany, capped with a book matched carved flame or quilted maple top that would bring any lumberjack (or
guitar lover) to his or her knees guaranteed.

The long and the short of the Godin LGX-SA combined with the Roland VG-8 Guitar Modeling System or the Roland GR-Series Synth modules (talk to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for complete information), provide a complete arsenal of sound possibilities for today's guitar player. For the stage player, you can fill for some 300 plus instruments while providing acoustic and or electric guitar sounds simutaneously. For the recording enthusiasts you can lay down your own tracks from bass line to full orchestra, complete with horns and strings. The possibilities are endless with the Godin LGX teamed with Roland's GR or VG series of products.

As an aside, our own Jim Miller (of Tech Notes) regularly uses an LGX-SA with his Roland VG-8EX for session work down in Florida. We've heard the material and can tell you from first hand experience that it sounds like Jim is playing everything from a '58 Strat and a '60 Les Paul to a Rickenbacker 12-string and even an acoustic, not to mention a few sounds that, well, don't even sound like a guitar. Space prevents us from going into a lot of detail, but you probably already know about the VG-8's guitar modeling, since we've discussed it at some length here in past issues of Sweet Notes. All the guitar magazines have covered it extensively, as well. But believe us when we say that the sound is just as amazing today as it was when Roland first unveiled the new technology a few years back. As longtime Sweet Notes readers know, Jim owns a lot of vintage guitars (we promised not to use the term "guitar fanatic" in this article), and he's not about to risk taking any of his precious axes to a gig. But he doesn't have to, since his Godin and VG-8 provide every sound he's ever likely to need.

The LGX-SA, along with the Multiac hollow body, nylon-string with Synth Access, the LGXT-SA with tremolo and the ACS nylon-string solid body represent the coolest and most innovative line of guitars available today. What's more, they're surprisingly affordable. Imagine all this innovation for about half what you'd expect to pay for a guitar of this quality. So contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for complete details on our exclusive hassle-free, 30-day trial program and of course, your special, low Sweetwater pricing on any of the fine Godin guitars.